The world is mourning the loss of Dragon Ball creator, Akira Toriyama. Pronounced dead at 68, anime fans and anime creators alike are taking the opportunity to remember what Toriyama gave to the world when it comes to both the stories of the Z-Fighters and the other amazing creations that he was responsible for in his career. In a shocking move, the country of China has released a statement to honor Toriyama via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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Akira Toriyama’s influence on the anime world, and the world of entertainment as a whole, simply cannot be overstated. Dragon Ball has influenced more stories than we can count and will surely continue to do so long after Toriyama’s passing. Aside from creating Goku and his friends, Toriyama has also forged stories such as Sand Land, Dragon Quest, and Chrono Trigger to name a few. Considering how influential the mangaka was, it should come as no surprise that even nations are taking the chance to honor his life.
China Mourns Akira Toriyama
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs representative Mao Ning delivered the country’s condolences for the loss of the shonen creator in a televised speech. While the Dragon Ball franchise might have originated in Japan, the story of Goku took the world by storm and helped introduce countless fans to the anime medium. You can watch the delivery of the speech below.
The translation of the statement from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reads as such, “We express our deep condolences for the passing of Mr. Akira Toriyama and express our sincere condolences to his family. Mr. Toriyama is a famous cartoonist. His works are also very popular in China. We noticed that many Chinese netizens also expressed condolences for his death. We hope and believe that more knowledgeable people in Japan will actively participate in Sino-Japanese cultural exchanges.”
The Official Dragon Ball website delivered the tragic news of Toriyama’s passing, with the statement reading as such, “We are deeply saddened to inform you that manga creator Akira Toriyama passed away on March 1st due to acute subdural hematoma. He was in age of 68. It’s our deep regret that he still had several works in the middle of creation with great enthusiasm. Also, he would have many more things to achieve. However, he had left many manga titles and works of art to this world. Thanks to the support of so many people around the world, he has been able to continue his creative activities for over 45 years. We hope that Akira Toriyama’s unique world of creation continues to be loved by everyone for a long time to come.”
